THE JOURNEY TO NATIONHOOD

It is no longer a cliche’ that the best way to predict the future is to create it. Going back the history of our nation, there has been a continuous struggle amongst the people of different generations trying to make a nation out of these numerous nationalities in the country. We cannot afford to downplay their effort and commitment to this project, however, there has been an underlying component that has been neglected by most of them, “The Purpose”.

The various struggles from the inception of Nigeria has been with little or no idea of the purpose, many have tried to define their actions but have not found a succinct word to match their actions.

The action of the young officers that led to the 1966 civil war was a genuine quest for a nation that truly belongs to all, but because it was not properly understood even by the executioners it resulted into the massacre that our hearts are still finding hard to accommodate.

Nigeria has come a long way through political unsettled path, our history is young but very rich in actions, this singular reason gives me hope for the future of this great nation.

The fact that the north and the south are still together is a sign of a greater Nigeria, the trading activities of the easterners in the west is a sign we are bond together to succeed.

We truly need each other, we need the supply of the southerner in the north so the easterners can share with the westerner the riches of human creativity.

But just like many societies, we are faced with a huge challenge of youth restiveness, their activities are not far from the lack of purposeful leadership, and inclusive style of governance, our winner/loser style of leadership has caused more damage than malaria, and the time has come for us to give it a well deserving burial.
It’s time for a focused and a well planned leadership structure, a people centered style of governance to come on board in our nation, it’s time for federal character, quota system and zoning to take the back seat and give chance to competence, character, knowledge and integrity, it’s time for creativity in leadership, it is time for the 21st century crew to take the center stage in the issues of governance, it’s time for us to have inspirational figures to lead us in the way to the promise land.

In this fast changing world, we can not afford to be stuck in the mud of stagnation, we cannot afford to move at a pace below the thinking capacity of the younger generation.

The time has come for us to push the lid open, break the barriers and dare the seemingly impossible, the time has come for the youth of Nigeria to take the destiny of their nation into their hands.
Thanks to Hon. Tony Chinedu Nwulu the member representing Oshodi-Isolo ll federal constituency of lagos state, the bill to reduce the age for qualification to contest for various political offices has passed the second reading, this is in line with our aspirations as young people, hence what excuses do we have? Every thing is pointing to the fact that we are the hope of this nation, my only concern is how prepared are we?

What is our understanding of leadership?

And above all what is the purpose of corporate existence as a nation?
These core question must be answered appropriately if we must make any meaningful impact in the political sphere of our nation.

There has never been a time in the history of our dear nation that unity of purpose is in so much need like now, the nation has never at any time been this fractured.
We are indeed in a troubled marriage, the proposal of which none of us was responsible but obviously the one which we couldn’t have survived without.

Nigeria is a strategic nation in the activities of humanity, we are central to the stability of the world, but we do not understand that our strength only comes from all of us.

Division, hate and competition has been the drivers of my generation, Everyman to himself and Everyman against the other, we are consumed by the desire to outdo each other that we neglect our national responsibility.

Whatever you see going wrong today in this nation is not the fault of the leaders but the fault of the young men and women that are busy fighting themselves instead of working together to take their rightful place in the leadership cabin of Nigeria.

The old men we have left our destinies in their hands do not have the capacity to deliver to us the kind of nation we hope for, they have no clue whatsoever about it.

But we are of course on queue waiting for our turn, as frequently said ” we are the leaders of tomorrow” sometimes it’s in a protest form asking that youth should be given a chance, something that has never happened for the past 56years, it won’t happen in our days either.

The time is now and we are the people to make it happen, we can reach out with a common purpose to one another and build the Nigeria of all, we can begin by being a bit more tolerant to one another, we can begin to see ourselves as a team instead of enemies, extend a hand of friendship from the south to the north and from the west to the east, from across the nation we can begin to see ourselves as a one people with an a common dream. “though tongue and creeds may differ in BROTHERHOOD we stand” it’s only when this happens that we can bring out the best in our nation and in each of us!

That is better than all of us
Engineer. Matthias Tsado
M.D Matstrutt Nigeria Limited